1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disk cartridge and data recording/reproducing medium having the same, and more particularly, to a disk cartridge that receives a disk for recording/reproducing data using a swing-arm pickup unit and a data recording/reproducing medium.
2. Description of the Background Art
Various methods exist to record/reproduce a large quantity of data. Such methods include optical, magnetic, magnetic-optical using both optics and magnetism, and the like. A recording/reproducing device using these methods record or reproduce data from a data recording medium. Typical recording mediums include a CD (Compact Disk), a DVD (Digital Video Disk), floppy disk, and an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) having an integrated recording/reproducing device.
During operation, the data medium is mounted in a mounting unit of the recording/reproducing device for recording/reproducing data to/from the data medium in order to record/reproduce data, and the data is recorded and/or reproduced onto/from the data medium by a typical pickup unit provided at the mounting unit.
In order to record/reproduce data to and from the data medium, the pickup unit moves relative to a recording surface of the data medium. Methods for moving the pickup unit include: a thread method in which the pickup unit makes linear reciprocal motion along a motion guide shaft; and a swing-arm method where the pickup unit rotates at a certain interval centering around a rotational shaft generating a rotational force.
Recording capacity has increased while the size of the data medium has decreased. Accordingly, because the data medium is susceptible to damage or corruption by exposure to a foreign material, such as dust, the recording/reproducing surface of the data medium needs to be protected from the foreign material. The data medium is used in conjunction with a disk cartridge, i.e., a disk protecting unit, for receiving the disk and for protecting the recording surface of the disk.
The structure of the disk cartridge preferably should be a structure which permits easy access of the recording surface of the disk for recording/reproducing data. In particular, in the case of a swing-arm pickup unit, the disk cartridge needs to be structured in such a manner that it does not interfere with the rotation of the swing-arm.